1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a configuration and method for manufacturing a multi-channel multi-point distribution system (MMDS) transceiver for transmitting and receiving analog and digital signals. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved structure and method for simplifying the assembling procedure for manufacturing an MMDS transceiver integrated with a dipole antenna as a single-body unit and configured for conveniently and flexibly mounting multiple types of antenna reflectors onto the dipole antenna.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional antennas for the MMDS transceivers are limited by the technical difficulties that practical configurations for reducing the transmission loss cannot conveniently achievable. The transmission loss of signals at higher frequencies often become quite significant at the connection between the antenna and the electronic circuits employed for frequency conversions and amplitude amplifications. Integrating the antenna and the electronic circuit as a single-unit by feeding the signals received from the antenna directly to the printed circuit board (PCB) supported the electronic circuits can eliminate the transmission loss. However, such integration often causes another difficulty that cannot be resolved by those of ordinary skill in the art of MMDS antenna design and manufacture. Specific difficulties often arise from the problems that an antenna when placed in an outdoor environment if integrated with electronic circuits as a single-unit often exposes the electronic circuits to the outdoor moist and dust. The conventional structure of antenna and the electronic circuits supported on a PCB does not provide a completely sealed space for the electronic circuits. Therefore, an antenna for the MMDS transceiver when exposed to an outdoor weather for an extended period of time becomes unreliable because the outdoor moisture and dust come into the housing contains the electronic circuits. For those of ordinary skill in the art, it is still a technical challenge to provide a reliable sealed environment for long term outdoor protection for the circuits employed to process the antenna signals for an MMDS transceiver.
The design of the MMDS transceiver typically involves a feed antenna connected to a bidirectional converter via a communication link. As Hemmie et al. disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,052 (issued Jul. 25, 1995), entitled xe2x80x9cMMDS over the Air Bi-directional TV/Data Transmission System and Method Thereforxe2x80x9d, a standard configuration shown in FIG. 1. The details of these illustration are fully disclosed and explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,052 that is now incorporated by reference here as part of the disclosure here in this Application for illustrating the state of the art in antennas for the MMDS transceivers. Since the drawings and the descriptions are included in this referenced Patent, the details numeral designations, the descriptions will not be repeated here in this present Application again. As shown in FIG. 2, there is coaxial cable connection between the antenna and the bidirectional converter and transmission loss often occurs in the cable connection. As explained in the Patent Application, the bidirectional converter could be located in the support boom and directly coupled to the feed line 84 thereby eliminating the need of a coaxial connection 210 altogether. However, it should be noticed that there is a vulnerable metal-penetration-into-plastic interface where the metal feed line 84 penetrate through the sealed enclosure to contact the bi-directional converter 100. Because of the concerns that the vulnerable metal-penetration-to plastic interface may cause outdoor moisture and dust to enter into the transceiver enclosure housing, a more cautious approach is to connect the feed line through a coaxial cable to the bi-directional down converter 100. The bidirectional converter as part of a bi-directional MMDS transceiver can then be placed in an indoor environment.
Hemmie et al. specifically mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,052 that the bi-directional converter 100 could be located in the support boom 86 and directly coupled to the feed 84 to eliminate the need of a coaxial connection 210 altogether similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,699. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B from U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,699, a similar problem exits that there are feed lines 310 and 320 penetrate the housing of enclosure housing 220 and again presents the difficulties of vulnerable metal-penetration-to-plastic weak interface.
Therefore, a need still exists in the art of bi-directional MMDS transceiver to provide a new structure and assembling method to resolve these difficulties encountered in the prior art systems. An improved mechanical structure of the bi-directional MMDS transceiver must be able to integrate the antenna and the transceiver circuit as single body structure. Additional such structural configuration must be provided to complete seal the circuit by eliminating the metal-penetration-to-plastic vulnerable interface. A reliable module with minimal transmission loss would then be available for long term reliable outdoor operation. Meanwhile, it is desirable that the structure and configuration must also be able to simplify the assembly process for manufacturing the MMDS transceiver to reduce the production costs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel structural configuration and methods for assembling an antenna-transceiver for a bi-directional MMDS transceiver by integrating the antenna together with a signal feed line connected to the transceiver circuits as a single-body structure to minimize the transmission loss. Meanwhile, such structure is provided with a direct dipole-to-enclosure housing interface with an O-ring seal such that the MMDS transceiver is suitable for long-term outdoor operation and the difficulties and limitations in the prior art can be overcome. Furthermore, the transceiver can also be easily characterized and assembled in the manufacturing process.
Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel structural configuration and assembly method for the bi-directional MMDS antenna-transceiver. An integrated single-body antenna-transceiver assembly for a multi-channel multi-point distribution system (MMDS) transceiver for bi-directional signal transmission and reception is provided in this invention. The integrated single-body antenna-transceiver assembly is completely sealed with a waterproof outer layer with metal-to-metal interface sealed with a waterproof O-ring such that long-term outdoor operation can be sustained without degradation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel structural configuration and assembly method for the bi-directional MMDS antenna-transceiver. An integrated single-body antenna-transceiver assembly is provided with two types of reflector mounting means corresponding with either horizontal or vertical signal polarization for several types of reflectors. The integrated single-body antenna-transceiver assembly is therefore serving as a reflector mounting base that can be universally employed by different users under different situations requiring the use of different types of reflectors.
Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes an integrated single-body antenna-transceiver assembly for a multi-channel multi-point distribution system (MMDS) transceiver for bi-directional signal transmission and reception. The assembly comprises a dipole antenna-body comprising a surrounded plastic-molded exterior with an internal metal dipole antenna extending vertically from a metal attachment-seat surrounding a signal feed pin connected to the dipole antenna. The assembly further comprises an MMDS transceiver having a transmitter printed circuit board (PCB) and a receiver PCB enclosed in a waterproof metal housing having an antenna-attachment pad including a signal feed pin opening. The dipole antenna-body is securely attached to the metal housing by attaching to the antenna-attachment pad sealed with an O-ring with the signal feed pin extended through the signal feed pin opening to contact the receiver PCB, the diplexer, and the transmitter PCB. In a preferred embodiment, waterproof metal housing for enclosing the transceiver further includes mounting means for securely mounting a reflector thereon. In another preferred embodiment, the waterproof metal housing for enclosing the transceiver further includes two types of mounting means corresponding with either horizontal or vertical signal polarization for several types of reflectors thereon.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the various drawing figures.